Latest news with #PictouLodge
CTV News
6 days ago
- Climate
- CTV News
N.S. lodge rebounds after tropical storm Fiona
N.S. lodge rebounds after tropical storm Fiona The Pictou Lodge in Nova Scotia has been repaired following tropical storm Fiona.
CTV News
6 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
Iconic getaway in Pictou, N.S., officially reopens
An iconic getaway in Pictou, N.S., has officially reopened. Pictou Lodge was bought by new owners earlier this year. After months of hard work, it opened for the season in July. 'To have this business back up and running, it's exciting,' said Pictou Lodge co-owner Brad Hartlin. He and his brother purchased the property together. 'This is something that we want to keep in our family, hopefully for a long, long time. Maybe even generations. So, to have the opportunity to do this, we're going to make sure that we do things right,' he said. Hartlin has a long background in hospitality and other businesses. The lodge now employs more than 30 people – many of whom are very familiar with the property. 'One of the big things that we wanted to do is make sure that we had the staff that was here previously, because without them, we wouldn't be able to do it,' said Hartlin. 'We approached Gary Chambers, who has been the supervisor of the property for over 40 years, so as soon as he said he was in, that made us say, 'We're in. Let's do this deal.'' It's been a busy few months of replacing roofs, floors and just doing general repairs. 'It just shines in there. The place is spotless, and we couldn't be happier,' said Hartlin. 'We're still working on two of the older units that will be ready for 2026. We simply didn't have time in a three-month period with the staff that we had in place. They were working around the clock to get us up and running for July.' Rebounding from Fiona Pictou Lodge was badly damaged by Post-Tropical Storm Fiona in 2022. The previous owners had planned to reopen but it ultimately closed completely in 2023. 'There was a devastated feeling here in the community, not just because of the history and the importance of the lodge historically, but from a tourist perspective,' said Town of Pictou Mayor Jim Ryan. 'I think every business in this part of the province would have been affected by that one way or another.' While the lodge has only just reopened, with fewer rooms than before, bookings have already been rolling in. 'I think we're at a 75 per cent occupancy right now, which going into this, this is our first venture. We didn't really know exactly what was going to transpire,' said Hartlin. Ryan is excited to see the lodge reopen. 'Pictou Lodge is part of the package in northern Nova Scotia,' he said. Marking a milestone in 2026 Pictou Lodge first opened in 1926, and Hartlin is excited to be part of its next chapter. 'There's been so many people that have been part of the lodge. I go back to some of the stories like Babe Ruth stayed here, which to me being a sports fanatic like I am, just adds even more character to the space,' he said. One of the projects on the horizon is redoing the Babe Ruth room, something Hartlin is looking forward to. The big goal for 2026 is to open a restaurant on site. Due to the quick turnaround from purchasing to opening, Hartlin said a taphouse is open daily this year with local beers on tap. 'It's just it's such a tranquil space and anyone that wants to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, especially in the world we live in today, you can come up here and even if you don't stay, come up and spend the day here,' he said. 'We welcome people to come on to the property. We really want people from away and from Pictou to be able to come here and enjoy it, just like we do.' As Pictou Lodge's 100th anniversary approaches, Hartlin has big plans for its future. 'We're going to make sure that we do our part to celebrate the history of the lodge,' said Hartlin. 'The big thing is let's keep reinvesting into this property to bring it back to the glory days that it once was, and you can already feel it now in the air.' For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Post-tropical storm Fiona shut down the Pictou Lodge in 2022. It's back in business
The Pictou Lodge Beach Resort is officially back in business after the nearly century-old business was severely damaged by post-tropical storm Fiona in September 2022. On Monday, Brad Hartlin, who owns the 99-year-old resort with his brother Mark, confirmed the news to CBC's Mainstreet Halifax. "It's been a long process, but we're very excited about the opportunity and I'm very thankful to be part of it," he said. In 2023, the previous owners concluded they couldn't continue to operate the business. The damage from Fiona included roofs being blown off cabins. Hartlin said he and his brother created a business plan to revive the lodge. The first step was talking to longtime staff with knowledge of the property to see what was possible. Some buildings were removed and some were sold by the previous owner. Hartlin noted Pictou Lodge will be a smaller operation. Previously, the lodge had 80 to 100 rooms, he said. This season, it will be operating with 41 rooms. "There's lots of room to grow in the future if we think that it can warrant it and we can pull it off. This year will be a learning curve for us," Hartlin said. "It's been three months now getting everything together and we're going to do it in baby steps. We're not going to reinvent the wheel or think that we can do anything much better than previous owners before, but smaller and then we'll grow into it." Some of the repairs have included redoing the roof on the main lodge, its chimney and the floors inside. Hartlin said the pool, which was completely redone, has reopened. There's also a beach, pond and trail on the property. "What we offer is nature. That's the No. 1 thing ... it's going to be a place that people can go and really relax and enjoy themselves," said Hartlin. Some former staff rehired Hartlin said people in the area have been very receptive to the lodge reopening. He said they were able to give some of the previous staff their jobs back. The kitchen will reopen next year, but Hartlin said it will operate as a taphouse this year. "The main lodge has been completely redone inside. It's got a very cool atmosphere and nostalgia that when people come in, they can sit and relax and have the memories of the Pictou Lodge — what it was and what it will be in the future," he said. MORE TOP STORIES
CBC
09-06-2025
- Business
- CBC
Post-tropical storm Fiona shut down the Pictou Lodge in 2022. It's back in business
The Pictou Lodge Beach Resort is officially back in business after the nearly century-old business was severely damaged by post-tropical storm Fiona in September 2022. On Monday, Brad Hartlin, who owns the 99-year-old resort with his brother Mark, confirmed the news to CBC's Mainstreet Halifax. "It's been a long process, but we're very excited about the opportunity and I'm very thankful to be part of it," he said. In 2023, the previous owners concluded they couldn't continue to operate the business. The damage from Fiona included roofs being blown off cabins. Hartlin said he and his brother created a business plan to revive the lodge. The first step was talking to longtime staff with knowledge of the property to see what was possible. Some buildings were removed and some were sold by the previous owner. Hartlin noted Pictou Lodge will be a smaller operation. Previously, the lodge had 80 to 100 rooms, he said. This season, it will be operating with 41 rooms. "There's lots of room to grow in the future if we think that it can warrant it and we can pull it off. This year will be a learning curve for us," Hartlin said. "It's been three months now getting everything together and we're going to do it in baby steps. We're not going to reinvent the wheel or think that we can do anything much better than previous owners before, but smaller and then we'll grow into it." Some of the repairs have included redoing the roof on the main lodge, its chimney and the floors inside. Hartlin said the pool, which was completely redone, has reopened. There's also a beach, pond and trail on the property. "What we offer is nature. That's the No. 1 thing ... it's going to be a place that people can go and really relax and enjoy themselves," said Hartlin. Some former staff rehired Hartlin said people in the area have been very receptive to the lodge reopening. He said they were able to give some of the previous staff their jobs back. The kitchen will reopen next year, but Hartlin said it will operate as a taphouse this year. "The main lodge has been completely redone inside. It's got a very cool atmosphere and nostalgia that when people come in, they can sit and relax and have the memories of the Pictou Lodge — what it was and what it will be in the future," he said.
